Parody

Kevin Drum: "It's as if McCain is trying to become a parody of himself . . . "

Indeed, he does. It is a truly remarkable development: I have seen several newscasters on television remark that this is the first Presidential election in their memory where the choices and contrasts were so stark and divergent. And, it is true: usually, the candidates are at least pretending to be like one another. "I care about the environment, too." or "I am strong on Defense, too."

Nixon was a master at this: he always, always posed in public as being just as committed to the goals of the New Deal as any Democrat, he was just differing as to methods and means. It was a wonderfully subversive approach, and one that George W. Bush was still following in the 2000 campaign against Gore.

But, somehow the mask has fallen askew.